Over Democratic objections, Senate panel sets vote on Trump’s court pick
WASHINGTON: Angry Democrats walked out as a Republican-led Senate panel set a vote over their objections for later on Friday on President Donald Trump’s nominee to the US Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, who won the support of a key senator, Jeff Flake.
Republicans appeared to have the votes, after the moderate Republican Flake announced his position, to approve Kavanaugh in the Judiciary Committee.
If confirmed, Kavanaugh would consolidate conservative control of the nation’s highest court and advance Trump’s broad effort to shift the American judiciary to the right.
The committee’s meeting came the morning after a jarring and emotional hearing into sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh that gripped the country, with a university professor named Christine Blasey Ford accusing him of sexual misconduct. He denied the allegation.
As the committee, with 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, set its vote for 1:30 pm (1730 GMT), some Democrats left the room in protest. “What a railroad job,” Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono said.
A committee vote to approve Kavanaugh would pave the way for a final debate and vote on the Senate floor in the coming days.
Republican committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said he found both Ford’s and Kavanaugh’s testimony “credible,” but added, “There’s simply no reason to deny Judge Kavanaugh a seat on the Supreme Court on the basis of evidence presented to us.”
The timing of the panel’s session gave committee members little time to review Thursday’s extraordinary testimony from Kavanaugh and Ford, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were high school students in 1982. Kavanaugh forcefully denied the accusations and accused Democrats of a “calculated and orchestrated political hit.”
Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee’s senior Democrat, called Kavanaugh’s remarks unseemly for a judicial nominee.
“This was someone who was aggressive and belligerent. I have never seen someone who wants to be elevated to the highest court in the country behave in that manner. In stark contrast, the person who testified yesterday and demonstrated a balanced temperament was Dr Ford,” Feinstein said.
Flake, who had previously raised concerns about the allegations against Kavanaugh, said on Friday Ford gave “compelling testimony” but Kavanaugh provided “a persuasive response.”
Soon after Flake made his announcement, he was confronted in an elevator while on his way to the committee meeting by two protesters who said they were sexual assault survivors.
“That’s what you’re telling all women in America — that they don’t matter, they should just keep it to themselves,” one of the protesters shouted at Flake in an exchange aired by CNN.
“I need to go to my hearing. I’ve issued my statement,” Flake said.
If Kavanaugh is confirmed, Democrats said it could taint the Supreme Court, which prides itself on staying above the political fray.
“Voting to advance and ultimately confirm Judge Kavanaugh while he is under this dark cloud of suspicion will forever change the Senate and our nation’s high court. It will politicise the US Supreme Court,” Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said.
Trump’s fellow Republicans hold a slim Senate 51-49 majority, making the votes of two other so-far undecided Republican moderates crucial: Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins.
Democrats have urged a delay in the confirmation process to allow for an FBI investigation, a move backed late on Thursday by the American Bar Association, which had earlier endorsed his nomination.
Kavanaugh could be the deciding vote on several contentious legal issues if he is confirmed to the ninemember court, with disputes possibly heading to the court soon. The court begins its next term on Monday, down one justice after the retirement of conservative Anthony Kennedy effective in July. Trump nominated Kavanaugh to replace Kennedy.
Ford testified on Thursday she was “100 per cent certain” Kavanaugh assaulted her in 1982. Kavanaugh said he was innocent and the victim of “grotesque and obvious character assassination.”
Questions were raised about Kavanaugh’s temperament at the hearing as well as his fiery political accusations and how that could impact his role on the court.
“I believe once he gets to the Supreme Court, he will call the balls and strikes fairly,” White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told “CBS This Morning,” using a baseball analogy. Attention to the hearing moved far beyond the world of Washington politics. Ford has emerged in the eyes of many American women as a compelling figure in the #Metoo movement against sexual harassment and assault.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell is hoping the full Senate will quickly approve Kavanaugh, possibly as soon as Tuesday.